Glove compartment switch



Dec. 17, 1957 c. A. HAUT GLOVE COMPARTMENT SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Nov. 4, 1955 INVENTOR. Clarence ,4. Hau/ B Z 244m H/s Afforney c. A, HAUT GLQVE coumnmm swrrcn Dec. 17, 1957 Filed Nov; 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

INVENTOR. Clarence 4. Hum /Z H/ s Afro/nay nited States Patent O GLOVE COMPARTMENT SWITCH Clarence A. Haut, Flint, Mich., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 4 1955, Serial No. 545,008

7 Claims. (Cl. 20061.62)

This invention relates to improvements in switch and lamp units and more particularly to switch and lamp units in which the switch mechanism is controlled by a door or the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lamp and switch unit having relatively few parts that is compact and of simple construction which may be readily manufactured and assembled at a low cost and which, in use, is sturdy and efiicient.

A further object of this invention is to provide 'a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve or sheath connected with one of the leads of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected to the other lead of the filament, the socket making electrical connection with the sleeve. A stationary contact member having a slot therein and an outwardly extending spring finger is positioned with respect to an insulating support so that the spring finger yieldingly engages the lamp terminal and is operative to hold the lamp and stationary contact member positioned in the unit. A movable contact in the form of a spring finger, secured to the insulating support, has a contact portion movable within the slot of the stationary contact member and positioned so that the contact portion of the movable member is constantly urged into engaging relation with the edge of the slot to provide electrical connection between the contact members. A plunger is associated with the support and operates to engage the movable spring finger and move the movable contact away from the edge of the slot as the plunger is moved by a closing door or the like, the movable spring finger being operative to return the plunger and the movable contact to a switch closed position when the door is opened. The switch and lamp unit may be included in an electrical circuit by electrical connections across the socket member and the movable contact member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lamp and switch unit which consists .of relatively few parts and may be readily manufactured which includes a housing member having back, front and bottom walls. The back wall includes a bayonet socket for receiving an electrical lamp and the front wall includes a slot for receiving a plunger. An insulating support interposed between the front and back walls supports a stationary contact having a slot therein and a spring finger extends outwardly therefrom. The spring finger bears against the lamp base terminal and holds the lamp positioned within the socket and the stationary contact positioned within the support. A movable contact spring member is secured to the support and is positioned so that a portion thereof extends into the slot of the stationary contact member and is constantly urged against an edge of the slot to make electrical contact. A plunger guided by the support is positioned with respect to the movable contact so that longitudinal movement of the plunger caused by a closing door is operative to move the movable contact away from the edge of the slot and the movable contact member is operative to return the plunger to a switch closed ice position on removal of the door from the plunger. The unit is readily assembled by placing the movable contact, the stationary contact and plunger in position within the support, and securing, by suitable means, the support to the housing and the movable contact to the support.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings where in preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a side elevational view of a switch and lamp holder unit having an electric lamp positioned therein.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the switch and lamp holder shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the switch and lamp holder shown in Figure 2 taken along line 3-3.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the switch and lamp holder shown in Figure 3 taken along line 4-4.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view showing the switch mechanism in switch open position.

Figure 6 is an exploded view, in perspective, of the switch and lamp holder shown in Figure 1.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 and 6 of the drawings, 10 designates a generally U-shaped metal housing including a front wall 12, a back wall 14 and a bottom wall 16. The bottom wall 16 is provided with upwardly bent projections or tangs 18 which, as will be hereinafter described, serve to hold an insulating support firmly abutted to housing 10. The back wall 14 has portions thereof struck out and bent inwardly to form spaced arcuate projections 2t) and slots 22 arranged in oppositely disposed relation to each other. The projections form a socket member to support a lamp 24 having a base including -a metal sleeve 26 connected to one lead of the lamp filament, a central contact 28 connected to the other lead of the lamp filament and lugs or bayonets 30 projecting from the sleeve 26 as is conventional in the art. The front wall 12 is formed with an opening or slot 32 therein for receiving an actuating plunger 34. The walls of slot 32 serve to retain plunger 34 and to limit the longitudinal movement thereof as Will be hereinafter described. Front wall 12 also has a pair of diverging bent out flange portions 36 by which the switch and lamp holder unit may be secured to a structure in connection with which the unit is to be used.

A switch unit 33, for controlling the flow of current to lamp 24, is located between the side walls 12 and 14 and rests on and is secured to the bottom wall 16 of housing 10. The switch unit includes a support of suitable insulating material, a stationary contact member 42, a movable contact member 44 and an actuating plunger 34.

Stationary contact 42 consists of an L-shaped member which includes a horizontal base portion 46 having a slot 48 therein and a vertical portion 50 having a top portion 52 and being formed with a downwardly and outwardly extending spring finger member 54.

Movable contact 44 includes a base portion 56 having an opening 58 therein, an upwardly extending horizontally facing U-shaped portion 60 to which a lead may be attached and a downwardly extending spring finger 62 formed with a contact projection of reduced dimension 64 at the base thereof.

The insulating support 40 is generally in the form of a hollow rectangular block having an opening 66 in the front wall thereof for receiving the projections 25; and the lamp base. The inner portions of support 40 are provided with horizontally extending offset portions which sup port the outer edges of base portion 46 and a shoulder or vertically extending offset 70 which engages top portion 52 of stationary contact member 42. A groove or channel 72 is provided in support 40 beneath slot 48 of stationary contact 42. The support 4t) is provided with a back wall portion 7 4 against which edge 47 of stationary contact 4-2 bears and which is provided with an opening 76 for snugly and reciprocably receiving plunger 34. Support 40 is further provided with opening '73 in the top thereof for receiving the downwardly extending spring portion 62 of movable contact 44 and a rivet or projection 80 which extends through opening 53 of movable contact 44 and is peened over, as shown in Figure 1, to hold the movable contact securely in place. Spring finger 62 extends into support 40 and normally the projection 64 thereof yieldingly engages or contacts the inner edge 49 of slot 48 of the stationary contact 42 and extends into groove 72. Referring to Figure 3, the plunger 34 is positioned within opening or guide 76 opposite the spring finger 62 so that an inward movement of plunger 34 as, for example, by a door 39, moves spring finger 62 inwardly and the projection 62 within groove 72 out of contact with edge 49 of the stationary contact. As the door 39 is moved out of contact with the plunger, the spring finger 62, due to its inherent resiliency, moves plunger longitudinally to a switch closed position and projection 64 into contact with edge 49 of the stationary contact.

The plunger 34 is provided with a collar 37, integrally molded therewith which is of greater dimension than slot 32 of housing wall 12 and serves to limit the movement of the plunger between front wall 12 of the housing and the wall 74 of the insulating support whereby the plunger is retained in the switch unit and permitted to move between switch open and switch closed positions.

Referring to Figure 1, it may readily be seen that the various parts of the switch and lamp holder are held together largely by the coaction of the parts, and a minimum amount of fastening of parts is required. The bayonets 30 of lamp 24 are inserted through slots 22 and the lamp is then oriented so that the bayonets 3t) engage the arcuate projections 20 of housing wall 14. The spring finger 54, by reason of its outwardly extending position and inherent resiliency, holds bayonets 30 yieldingly against arcuate projections 20 so as to hold lamp 24 in its socket and presses top portion 52 and edge against shoulder 70 and wall 74 respectively, of support 4-0 so as to hold stationary contact 42 firmly in place. The outer edges of stationary contact portion 46 engage shoulders 68 of support 40 snugly so as to prevent the stationary contact 42 from being dislodged when the lamp is removed from the socket.

The operation of the switch and lamp unit may be readily understood in reference to Figure 1 wherein the device is shown in a circuit closed position allowing current to flow from battery 32, movable contact 44, stationary contact 42, the lamp filament, sheath or sleeve 26, wall 14 and back to the battery through ground connection 84. As previously described, the circuit is opened by the action of a door or the like causing the plunger to move inwardly so as to move the projection 64 of the movable contact out of contact with the edge 49 of the stationary contact and closed as the door is moved away from the plunger so as to permit the spring member 62 of the movable contact to move the plunger outwardly and the projection 64 into contact with edge 49 of the stationary contact.

A feature of the present switch lies in the simplicity of the parts and the ease of their assembly. Figure 6 shows the various parts of the switch prior to assembly. The plunger 34 and support 40 may be molded of an insulating, thermosetting, moldable resin by methods well known in the art. The movable contact member 44, the stationary contact member 42 and the housing member may be stamped of single metal pieces and bent as shown and previously described. In addition to upwardly bent tangs 1% which, on assembly of the switch parts, are received by corresponding undercut portions 17 of support 40 for holding the support securely in the housing 10,

an upwardly projecting tang 19 may be provided on base 16 of housing 10 for positioning and maintaining the support on the housing and preventing longitudinal movement of the support 40 with respect to housing 10 whereby spring member 54 may be held against central contact 28 of the lamp 24 at a predetermined and desired pressure. Further, back wall 14 may be provided with a vertical projection 21 which may be bent over so as to engage support 40 as shown in Figure 1.

In assembling the switch parts shown in Figure 6, stationary contact 42 is inserted within support 40 as previously described through opening 66; movable contact 44 is inserted into position with spring member 62 projecting into opening 78 of the support and projection 64 extending into groove 72 and engaging edge 49 of the stationary contact and with the rivet or projection passing through opening 58 whereby the rivet 80 may be peened over as by heat deformation; and the plunger 34 is inserted within opening 76. The switch unit, thus assembled, is then placed in position on the bottom wall 16 of housing 10 so as to have portions of the support bounded by the projections 18 and 19 and back wall 14 after which projections 18 and 21 are bent as previously described whereby the switch unit is firmly secured to the housing.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A switch and lamp holder unit, comprising; a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, said socket making electrical connection with said sleeve; an insulating support; a stationary contact engaging said support and having a spring finger extending outwardly thereof and being adapted to resiliently engage the said lamp end terminal and retain said stationary contact in engagement with said support; said stationary contact having a slot therein; a movable leaf spring contact secured to said support and having a portion thereof extending into said slot and normally engaging one edge thereof whereby said stationary contact and said movable contact are in current conducting relation; a plunger slidably guided by said support operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with the edge of said slot, and means for actuating the plunger to separate the contacts.

2. A switch and lamp holder unit, comprising; a metal socket member having an aperture therein for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, said base having at least one bayonet projection, said aperture having a radial slot on the periphery thereof for receiving said bayonet projection, said socket making electrical connection with said sleeve; an insulating support, a stationary contact engaging said support and having a spring finger extending outwardly thereof and being adapted to resiliently engage said lamp end terminal, so as to make electrical contact therewith and hold said stationary contact against said support and said bayonet projection against an edge of said aperture; said stationary contact having a slot therein; a movable leaf spring contact secured to said support and having a portion thereof extending into said slot and normally engaging an edge thereof whereby said stationary contact and said movable contact are in current conducting relation; a plunger slidably guided by said support operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with the edge of said slot, and means for actuating the plunger to separate the contacts.

3. A switch and lamp holder unit, comprising; a conducting housing including a base and a pair of spaced vertical walls attached thereto; the first of said walls having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, said socket making electrical connection with aeraarz said sleeve; the second of said walls having a vertical slot therein open at the top thereof; an insulating support disposed between said vertical walls; a stationary contact including a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, in engagement with said support; said vertical portion having a spring finger extending outwardly in the direction of said socket and adapted to resiliently engage the said lamp end terminal and retain said stationary contact in engagement with said support; said horizontal portion of said stationary contact having a slot therein; a movable leaf spring contact secured to said support and having a free end thereof extending into said slot and normally engaging one edge thereof whereby said stationary contact and said movable contact are in current carrying relation; and a plunger slidably guided by said support and extending through the slot of said second vertical wall, said plunger having a collar thereon interposed between said support and said second wall for limiting the longitudinal movement of said plunger; said plunger being operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with said stationary contact.

4. A switch and lamp holder unit, comprising; a housing member having spaced walls, an insulating support interposed between said walls; one of said walls having a bayonet socket therein; an electric lamp in said socket having a sleeve connected to one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected to the other lead of the lamp filament, said sleeve being in electrical contact with said socket; the other of said walls having a vertical slot therein extending from the top thereof; a stationary contact member having a slot therein and having an outwardly extending spring finger adapted to yieldingly engage said lamp terminal and hold said stationary contact member positioned within said support; a spring finger contact member associated with said support and having a portion thereof movable within said slot and a plunger extending through the slot of said housing wall and into engagement with said spring finger contact member; said portion of said spring finger contact member being constantly urged into engagement with an edge of said stationary contact slot to form an electrical connection therebetween, said plunger being operative to move said portion from said edge in response to longitudinal movement of said plunger.

5. A switch and lamp holder unit comprising; an insulating support; a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, said socket being adapted for making electrical connection with said sleeve; a stationary contact engaging said support, having a slot therein and having a leaf spring portion associated therewith adapted to resiliently engage said lamp terminal and hold said contact resiliently against said support; a movable leaf spring contact having a portion thereof extending into said slot and normally engaging one edge thereof whereby said stationary and said movable contacts are in current conducting relation; and a plunger operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with the edge of said slot.

6. A switch and lamp holder unit comprising; an insulating support; a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with said other lead, said socket being adapted for making electrical connection with said sleeve; a stationary contact engaging said support, having a slot therein, said stationary contact including spring means adapted to resiliently engage said lamp terminal and resiliently hold said stationary contact in engagement with said support; a movable leaf spring contact having a portion thereof extending into said slot and normally engaging an edge thereof whereby said stationary and movable contacts are in current conducting relation; and a plunger operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with the edge of said slot.

7-. A switch and lamp holder unit comprising; an insulating support; a metal socket member for receiving a lamp base having a metal sleeve connected with one lead of the lamp filament and an end terminal connected with the other lead, said socket being adapted for making electrical connection with said sleeve; a stationary contact engaging said support, said contact having a slot therein, having a spring means associated therewith adapted to resiliently engage said end terminal and hold said contact resiliently against said support; a movable leaf spring contact having a portion thereof normally engaging said stationary contact, whereby said stationary and movable contacts are in current conducting relation; and a plunger operative to move said movable contact out of engagement with the edge of said slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,499,370 James July 1, 1924 1,630,359 Scott May 31, 1927 2,646,477 Herterick July 21, 1953 2,657,283 Harris Oct. 27, 1953 

